Agent for sizing textile fibers and alpha process of sizing textile fibers



Patented Aug. 1, 1933 1,920,564

AGENT FOR SIZING TEXTILE FIBERS AND A PROCESS OF SIZING TEXTILE FIBERS Kurt Jochum and Arthur Voss, Frankfor -onthe-Main, Hermann Geier, Mainz-Kastel, and Ewald Dickhiiuser, Gersthofen near Augsburg, Germany, assignors to I. G. Farbenindustrie Aktiengesellschaft, Frankfort on the Main, Germany No Drawing. Application November 24, 1931, ggrial 1510. 517,158, and in Germany November 2 Claims. (Cl. 9 1-68) The present invention relates to agents for The following examples serve to illustrate our sizing textile fibers and to a process of sizing invention, but they are not intended to limit it textile fibers. thereto, the parts being by weight:

We have found that a sizing agent containing 1. Vinyl ester is polymerized in the presence of a polyvinyl alcohol of a very high degree of acetic anhydride and sodium-perborate until the 55 viscosity showsa surprisingly strong sizing effect. product is only capable of swelling in organic Polyvinyl alcohols of a high viscosity may be solvents. This ester is saponified until polyvinyl obtained for instance by saponification of polyalcohol is formed and the saponification product vinyl esters which show a very high viscosity is dissolved in water to a solution of about 1-1 10 and are insoluble in solvents or at most capable per cent. strength. Hanks of artificial silk are 60 of'swelling therein. Such polyvinyl esters may introduced into this solution, kept in motion for instance be prepared by polymerization of a therein for a short time, then-centrifuged and vinyl ester in the presence of a perborate and dried. A well sized material is obtained which is acetic anhydride. Polyvinyl alcohols of high distinguished by a soft feel.

viscosity may likewise be prepared by adding a 2. Inia similar manner a solution of polyvinyl 65 small amount of aboro compound to a polyvinyl alcohol of a very high viscosity and prepared as alcohol of medium or low viscosity. By the described in example 1 is used for the impregnaaddition of alkali the viscosity of the polytion of cotton in the warp. In this case, too, vinyl alcohols treatedwith a' boro compound there is obtained a sized material which can may considerably be increased. These polyeasily be further treated. 70 vinyl alcohols of a high viscosity likewise yield 3. Polyvinyl alcohol, obtained by polymerizing with water solutions of very high viscosity. These vinyl acetate with the aid of 0.3 per cent. of acetyl solutions haveasizing effect which is considerably peroxide to a polyvinyl acetate of a very high superior to that of the hitherto known polyviscosity and then saponifying this -ester in vinyl alcohols. Solutions of 4 per cent strength known manner, is dissolved in water to a solu- 5 of these polyvinyl alcohols of very high viscosity tion of 1.5 per cent. strength. Acetate silk is inyield for instance in the viscosity test an outflow troduced into this solution and then treated as speed of about 300 to more than 600 seconds, described in Example 1. whereas solutions of 4 per cent strength of hither- There is obtained a sized material of a soft to known polyvinyl alcohols prepared for instance feel which can easily be further treated. according to the process described in U. S. Patent 4. If a polyvinyl alcohol, obtained by poly- No. 1,672,156 yield only an outflow speed of about merizing vinyl butyrate with the aid of 0.4 per 100-200 seconds. The outflow speed of water cent. of butyryl peroxide and saponifying the under the same conditions amounts to 25 seconds polymeric product, is used instead of the poly- 35 and that of a 4 per cent. aqueous solution of vinyl alcohol described in Example 3, there is glycerine amounts to 27.5 seconds. For sizing obtained a good sizing efiect resembling that of such polyvinyl alcohols are especially used as" Example 3. shown in a 4 per cent. aqueous solution a viscosity 5. A polyvinyl ester prepared by polymerizing increased about 10 to 25 times in comparison to the monomeric product in the presence of acetic 1.) a glycerine solution of the same concentration. acid anhydride and of sodium perborate un- If these polyvinyl alcohols are used in more contil the product is only capable of swelling in centrated solutions, the viscosity is increased in the organic solvents, is saponifled. The polya still larger degree in comparison to the solutions vinyl alcohol thus obtained is dissolved in water of the same concentration of the known prodto a 12 per cent. solution and to this solution :13 ucts. Whereas a comparatively large amount of caustic soda solution is added until a weakly the hitherto known polyvinyl alcohols was necesalkaline reaction is obtained. A considerable insary to obtain a good sizing efiect, the same effect crease of the viscosity is thus obtained and sican be obtained by applying only a small amount multaneously a greatly improved sizing effect. of the abOVfi mentioned hi hly viscous polyvinyl Instead of g. per liter only 30-50 g. per liter 50 alcohols. of the product to which alkali has been added 100 is required for obtaining a good and supple sizing efiect.

6. Polyvinyl acetate polymerized to a relatively low degree is saponified until a polyvinyl alcohol is obtained which still contains one third of the acetyl groups and is soluble in alcohol and in water. 25 parts of'the polyvinyl alcohol thus prepared are dissolved in 200 parts of water. There is obtained a relatively thin liquid solution which is used for sizing and yields a low sizing effect. If this solution is mixed with a solution of 0.5 part of borax and 5 parts of water, the viscosity of the solution is considerably increased. The sizing effect obtained with this solution which may be diluted, is considerably superior to that of the hitherto known polyvinyl alcohols.

v"I. parts of a polyvinyl alcohol showing a rather low sizing effect and prepared by saponiflcation of polyvinyl chloracetateare treated in a ball mill together with 1 part of borax and 2 parts of sodium carbonate. In order to attain a better solubility or to modify the sizing ellect 2-3 per cent. of a. dispersing agent or a watersoluble softening agent may be added. A sizing agent is obtained having a sizing eifect which is considerably superior to that of the, polyvinyl alcohol used without the addition oi. the bore compound.

We claim:

1. The process which comprises treating textile fibers with an agent containing a highly viscous polyvinyl alcohol which in an aqueous solution shows about 10 to 25 times the viscosity of an aqueous glycerine solution of equal concentration. 

